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ASSET MANAGEMENT asset's physical information. Each information requirement was broken down into a type – headings, such as the asset's geographical or contractual information, its topology, fleet, site or environmental impact, and its condition. Under these headings were specific func - tions, with each function con- taining one or more measures of performance. For example, the function to 'provide asset condition information' contains measures of performance relat - ing to the asset's 'Health Index' and 'Criticality Index'. An exam- ple of the structure is shown in Figure 1. Similarly, under the head- ing 'asset history', there are functions relating to asset com- missioning date, manufacture date, intervention information and interruption information. Drilling down into the meas - ures of performance provides additional detail about the information required, for exam- ple information about previous interventions, planned interven- tions, and interventions within NETWORK / 30 / MAY 2019 Dave Burton, of Frazer-Nash Consultancy, and Dan Wilson, of Electricity North West, describe a recent project that helped the network operator identify its asset management information needs. Using asset information M anaging assets is a complex enterprise. You need first to identify exactly what your assets are, and whether the information you already hold and collect on them is meeting your needs. Out of date information – which may or may not be incorrect – could lead to extra verification work, or even have a negative impact on your decision-making. By uncovering whether your cur - rent asset information matches the requirements underpinning your business needs; and by identifying where there are gaps and how critical these are to your processes and systems, you're able to fully understand the many intricate interrelation - ships within your organisation. Distribution network op- erator, Electricity North West, recently worked with systems and engineering technology consultancy, Frazer-Nash, on a project to identify its current as - set information, and where gaps exist in this information. The project aimed to help Electricity North West to determine which information is vital to enabling its essential business needs – such as effectively managing the network, complying with legislation and the Electricity Distribution Licence, and plan - ning for the future. By ensuring it is best managing its assets, Electricity North West will be able to identify process improve- ments, and can substantiate its decision making on future in- formation management system investments. The project involved three steps: developing the require - needed for regulatory compli- ance, others on the informa- tion needed to make asset and network design decisions, or to answer customer enquiries. The workshops also drew together details of the asset information that was not presently available to each team, but that would be advantageous if it were. The diverse requirements identified during the stake - holder meetings ranged from information about individual assets, including their condi- tion and history; to data on network topology, detailing how assets connected together. By placing these asset informa - tion requirements alongside their related high level business requirements, Electricity North West could see the context for each – why, from a business perspective, the information was needed. To ensure that its asset information system provided all the required information about the company's assets, Electricity North West needed to go beyond simply logging each ments for Electricity North West's asset information; producing a model to reflect how the company currently captures, stores and presents its asset information to satisfy each of those requirements; and creating a gap analysis report, highlighting where its asset information requirements and its current methods of fulfilling them differ. To deliver the project, Frazer-Nash ran stakeholder workshops to gain an under - standing of Electricity North West's key information needs. The workshops identified what information was essential, on which assets, when and where it was needed, by whom, and how o•en. Representatives from teams around the company took part: firstly, in produc - ing an understanding of the tasks for which each team was responsible; and secondly, in capturing which asset data the teams presently use, why they need it, and how they access it. Some workshops focused on identifying the information Figure 1: Asset Information System requirements structure Asset Information System Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading Heading